Apparatus for indicating employment schedules



D. L. BURK Dec. 12, 1939.

APPARATUS FOR INDICATING EMPLOYMENT SCHEDULES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 2'7, 1936 D. L. BURK Dec. 12, 1939.

DULES APPARATUS FOR INDICATING EMPLOYMENT SCHE Patented Dec. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR INDICATING EMPLOY- MENT SCHEDULES 7 Claims.

This invention relates to indicating mechanism and is particularly directed to an improved method and apparatus for indicating employment arrangements in a business establishment utilizing a number of regular and a number of irregular or substitute employees.

A primary object of the invention resides in the provision of an indicating device which can be set to indicate in advance employment arrangements for a future time period.

Another object of the invention rests in the provision of a plurality of panels having permanent lists of the regular as well as the substitute workers names in the order of their priority.

A further object resides in providing the panels with one or more sockets positioned adjacent each worker's name and the provision of plugs to be inserted in the sockets to convey specific information.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of the character indicated by which either a regular worker or a substitute worker can hire a substitute to take his place for one or a plurality of days without the necessity of interviewing the substitute.

A still further object is the provision of means to indicate to a substitute worker a change in time in the working schedule of the regular worker whom he is replacing.

An additional object is the provision of a priority list of substitute workers which can be altered only by one having authority to do so.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds. the invention consists in the novel features of construction and arrangement of parts more specifically disclosed in the following specification and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an indicating mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation on a slightly larger scale of the upper portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view on the plane indicated by theline III--III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 1V-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line V-V of Fig. 3}

Fig. '7 is a vertical sectional view on the line VII-VII of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged front elevation of a portion of one of the panels used to indicate a time change;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view on the line IX-IX of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view on the line XX of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the device;

Fig. 12 is a front elevation of a further modified form;

Fig. 13 is a horizontal sectional view on the line XIII-XIII of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the indicating mechanism disclosed embodies a cabinet I having a base section 2 and an elevated panel supporting section 3. A drawer 4 is provided in the base section to receive for storage accessories used in operating the indicating mechanism. The section 3 has suitably secured to the front thereof a plurality of panels designated by the numerals 5, 6, 'l and 8. The panel 5 is arranged at the left side and the panel 1 at the upper right side of the section 3, the panel 8 being positioned below the panel I and constitutes an announcement receiving board.

The panels 5, 6 and 1 are constructed of any suitable composition material which can readily be constructed into the desired form. The first two panels 5 and 6 include vertically extending columns of slots or openings 9, the openings in the panel 5 being arranged adjacent one side and in two rows. Secured to the rear of the panel 5, at the side in which the openings are formed is a back board Hi. This member is held in place by screws and wing nuts Ii providing for the ready removal of the same when desired. The rear surface of the panel 5 is recessed at the location of the openings 9 for the reception of card holders l2. The latter membrs are each formed of sheet metal bent to produce a shallow longitudinally extending channel in which a narrow name bearing card l3 may be received.

The flanged edges of the holders l2 are spaced from the rear face of the panel to provide a second channel in which is positioned an opaque masking strip 14. The cards l3 are of sufficient length to extend completely across the two rows of openings and the name is duplicated so that it will register with the openings in both rows. The masking strip i4 is only long enough to extend across one slot and is provided near its ends with openings l5 into which can be inserted a suitable tool used to move the strip from one row or column to the other. At the top of each column is an indicia bearing plate IE to designate the shift in which the workers whose names appear in the slots beneath are to work. In this instance only two shifts are employed, namely, the day and night shifts, and if a worker is to be employed on the day shift, the masking strip I4 is moved to cover the name in the night shift column and vice versa. It is of course understood that as many columns may be employed as there are separate shifts.

Arranged in the panel 5 in horizontal registration with each pair of openings is a row of sockets l'l corresponding in number and designation to the days of the week. The sockets I! are formed to include a sleeve l8 to the inner end of which is secured a retaining spring IS, the outer end of the sleeve being threaded to receive a nut 29 employed in looking the sleeve to the panel. Plugs 2| having reduced shanks 22 may be positioned in the sockets H, the spring [9 engaging a recess formed adjacent the end of the shank 22 to hold the plugs in place.

The extreme right side of the panel 5 is provided, also in horizontal registration with each pair of openings, with a signal 23 to notify the worker of a change in the time he is to commence his work. The signal 23 comprises a tube 24 to the outer end of which is secured a lens 25. A nut 26 is threaded on the sleeve to clamp the same in engagement with the panel. The nut also clamps an angular bracket 21 to the panel adjacent the sleeve, the bracket supporting at its other end an incandescent lamp 28. A manually actuated switch 29 for controlling the flow of current to the lamp 28 is secured to the panel at one side of the lens 25. When the lamp 2B is illuminated, the light will pass through the sleeve 24 and light up the lens 25.

The panel 5 is provided on one of its vertical side edges with hinges 30 for the pivotal support of the panel on a stationary frame member 3| of the cabinet. The other vertical side edge of the cabinet is equipped with a key operated lock 32 to prevent unauthorized access to the interior of the cabinet. This prevents any tampering with the list of names thus maintaining them in the order in which they were originally inserted.

The panel B is also hinged at one of its side edges to the frame member 3| and a lock 33 controlled from the inside of the cabinet is provided at its other side edge. The openings 9 in this panel are arranged in three rows and adjacent each opening, the panel is provided with a single socket IT. The sockets in panel 6 receive plugs 2| which bear numbers assigned to the employees. Secured to the back of the panel 6 by screws and wing nuts or other means is a supporting board 34. The front of the board 34 carries in registration with each of the rows of slots 9, a strip 35 to which is secured card receivlng channel plates 36, each of the latter members being arranged to register with a slot 9 in order that the card held thereby may be viewable from the front of the cabinet. A complete list of all the employees and their numbers is carried by the panel 6 while the panel 5 merely carries, in this instance, a list of the irregular or substitute employees.

For purposes of illustration, the drawings show the first two rows of names on the panel as being regular employees while the third row is composed of substitutes, the numbers of the latter employees commencing with the numeral 101. The operation of the mechanism thus far described is as follows:

Let us assume that employee Meyer, number 51, desires one day's leave, or example Sunday. and wishes substitute employee Kent to fill his position while he is away. To make the necessary arrangements, Meyer (number 51) takes the plug bearing his number from the socket beside his name on panel 6 and positions it in the socket marked Sun or Sunday beside Kent's name on panel 5. Kent will observe when reporting for duty that Meyers numbered plug is in the socket marked "Sunday beside his name and will know then that he is to fill Meyers situation on that day. In the event an employee wishes to hire a substitute for more than one day, he positions his numbered plug in the socket in the substitute panel for the first day he wishes to be absent and in the sockets for the balance of the days he will be absent he positions unnumbered plugs which may or may not be colored.

A substitute worker can by a similar procedure hire a second substitute to take his place in case his services would be unavailable when hired by a regular employee.

Occasionally a regular employee will have his starting schedule changed and when he desires to hire a substitute to work in his place, he must notify that substitute of the change in starting time. The regular employee will use his numbered plug to hire the substitute as explained above and will set switch 29 so that the lens 25 in registration with the substitutes name will be illuminated. The substitute's attention will be attracted by this signal and he will know that he is to assume the regular employees task but is to commence work at a time other than the regular employees usual starting time. To find out when he is to report for duty, the substitute refers to the starting time indicating panel I. This panel includes a plurality of vertically extending rows of sockets 31. At the head of each row there is provided time designating indicia beginning in the present instance at 6:00 in the first column or row and continuing at intervals to 5:30 in the last row so that any desirable starting time can be indicated.

Arranged at the lower part of the panel 1 is a group of plugs 38 bearing numbers corresponding to those assigned to the substitutes. When the employee hiring a substitute desires to notify that substitute of a change in starting time, he takes the plug bearing the susbtitutes number and inserts it into a socket in the row beneath the time the substitute is to begin work. When the substitute observes the lighted signal on panel 5, he will refer to panel 1 and find out the exact time to report for duty.

Each of the sockets 3'! in the panel 1 includes a sleeve 39 in which is positioned a spring 390. for gripping the shanks 40 of the plugs 38 to prevent accidental displacement of these plugs. The panel 1 is also equipped with a dial 4| which is divided around its outer periphery into seven sections, each marked to represent a day of the week. A pointer 42 is pivoted in the center of the dial and a Vernier knob 43 is arranged below the dial to move the pointer. The shop chairman or manager adjusts the pointer to indicate to what day the time periods designated above refer.

Fig. 11 shows a vertical section of a modified type of holder for the cards bearing the names of employees. This form of holder would be used where the employees names are rotated to give each worker an equal opportunity for employment. This holder includes an endless chain 44 running over spaced sprockets 45 and having certain of the links 46 provided with card holders 41. The front Wall of the cabinet is open so that the holders and cards held thereby will be visible. The names can be advanced or moved to the top by rotating the sprockets. This type of holder permits the rotation of employees, at the same time maintaining their priority standing or the order in which they are given regular employment in the event regular employees leave or new situations are created.

In Figs. 12 and 13, another type of card holder is illustrated. This holder includes a mounting which is formed of a pair of spaced bars 48 carried by a back wall 49. The front of the bars 48 are provided along their adjacent edges with metallic strips 50, the inner edges of the strips being notched as at at regularly spaced inter vals. A plurality of card receivers 52 are supported by the mounting, each of the receivers having a channel strip to which is secured a bracket 53. The member 53 extends back into the space between the bars 48 and at its side edges includes forwardly projecting spring arms 54. The latter parts are positioned in the notches 5| to hold the receivers in their proper place. The ends of the arm 54 project beyond the outer face of the receivers so that the operator may grasp and flex them to release the receiver from the mounting.

Through the use of the indicating mechanism and the method above described, the employees will not have to report to the oflice in order to be available for the following day's work. Also, if a substitute has been working in a regular employees situation, an inspection of the indicating mechanism will show Whether or not that particular substitutes services are available for the following day.

While there has been shown and described the preferred apparatus for carrying out the improved method, numerous changes in the apparatus might be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A mechanism of. the character described comprising a pair of panels, the first of said panels being formed with spaced rows of aligned slots, card holders positioned at the rear of said panel in registration with said slots, a masking strip positioned between each card holder and the slots in registration therewith, said masking strip being movable from one row to the other, a row of sockets in registration with the aligned slots in said rows, spaced rows of card holders positioned at the rear of said second panel, said second panel being provided with openings in registration with said card holders, a socket carried by said second panel adjacent each of the openings and numbered plugs removably received by said sockets.

2- A mechanism of the character described comprising a panel formed with spaced columns of slotted openings, the openings in one column registering with those of an adjacent column, a name-card holder provided at the rear of the panel adjacent each set of registering slots, and a masking plate positioned between each of said card holders and the rear of said panel, said masking plates being confined for movement from one column to the other by said card holders.

3. A mechanism of the character described comprising a panel formed with spaced columns of slotted openings, the openings in one column registering with those of an adjacent column, a name-card holder provided at the rear of the panel adjacent each set of registering slots, and a masking plate supported in sliding engagement with said panel by each of said card holders, said masking plates being formed with means engageable from the front of said panel whereby the plates may be moved from one column to another.

4. A mechanism of the character described comprising a cabinet, a panel pivotally secured to the front of said cabinet, said panel being provided with slotted openings, means for preventing unauthorized pivotal movement on the part of said panel, a backing board disposed at the rear of said panel adjacent the openings, and name-card holders secured to said backing board in registration with said openings.

5. An indicating mechanism comprising a cabinet, a panel provided at the front of said cabinet. said panel being formed with an opening therein, a movable supporting mechanism positioned in said cabinet at the rear of said panel, and a plurality of name-card holders provided on said supporting mechanism, said holders being moved into and out of registration with the opening in said panel upon movement of said supporting mechanism.

6. A mechanism of the character described comprising a panel formed with spaced columns of slotted openings, the openings in one column registering with those of an adjacent column, the rear of said panel adjacent said slots being provided with recesses extending from one column to the adjacent column, a name-card holder provided at the rear of the panel adjacent each set of registering slots, and a masking plate positioned in each recess, said masking plates being confined for movement from one column to the other by said card holders.

7. A mechanism of the character described comprising a panel formed with spaced columns of slotted openings, the openings in one column registering with those of an adjacent column, the rear of said panel adjacent said slots being provided with recesses extending from one column to the adjacent column, a name-card holder provided at the rear of the panel adjacent each set of registering slots, and a masking plate positioned in each recess, said masking plates being formed with means engageable through said slots whereby the plates may be moved from one column to another.

DWIGHT L. BURK. 

